Sunday, September 23, 2012

361. Tithing TENsion #3: The New Covenant Priesthood

Under the old covenant, the tithe (a tenth) of the crops and animals were shared with the priests from the tribe known as the Levites. Under the New Covenant, the priesthood no longer exists. The Old has been replaced with a New Covenant and in Christ we have all become priests. Being completely free from the law has brought us something new and better. The tithe had a purpose under the old covenant – to feed the priestly tribe.

The early church was not instructed to tithe. So how did they respond when it came to giving? They didn't inherit lands or tithes as the Jewish tribes but rather a new identity of righteousness which included a heart that actually desired to give.

4 comments:

Listening to you guys are like a breath of fresh air. The Bible says to give of a gracious heart, not of a necessity. I just wonder why so many local churches say "I need 300m more dollars, I need 120 more dollars. Don't miss your blessing." so God will only bless me if I give? I thought his Blessings was based on who I am in Him,not what I should do for him.

I hear ya on the whole thing with churches teaching that people will be blessed if they give, and won't be blessed if they don't give. It's a really sad and unfortunate thing. We're not blessed because we give. Indeed, we're blessed because of who God is (He is good) and who He has made us to be, all apart from anything we've ever done to earn or deserve it.

If I understand this correctly God has poured out to all that will come to belief in him, grace that is freed from any and all laws. Now as I see this, this is undeserved to me from God. Once receiving this it is my free choice now what to do with whatever I have. I have received life undeservingly, so my response is showing this life to others as I go in this world, exclaiming it is of God that I have this new life as people ask, and as the Holy Ghost leads in love to all.Howard

What better love is there than to be freed from all stress and strife, still working hard at, but not having the stress and strife attached to hard work anylonger. Therefore one would enjoy all one does for it would all be done in love as Christ already did for all people. So everything is beautiful, just not all see it.Howard

Growing in Grace is a weekly podcast airing on various internet sources. Sit down with Mike and Joel as they casually chat about growing in understanding the gospel and living in the freedom that comes through Jesus Christ. New episodes are uploaded every Sunday and all past episodes are archived here. Special thanks to our podcast announcer, Amy Wolter.